Joel Santo DomingoMicrosoft Docking Station for Surface ProThe Microsoft Docking Station for Surface Pro is a quick way to connect your Surface Pro tablet to the display, Ethernet, and printer you have in your office.

Not compatible with RT-based Microsoft Surface and Surface 2. Only one USB 3.0 port. No screen tilt adjustment.

Bottom Line

The Microsoft Docking Station for Surface Pro is a quick way to connect your Surface Pro tablet to the display, Ethernet, and printer you have in your office.

The Microsoft Docking Station for Surface Pro ($199.99) complements your first-generation Microsoft Surface Windows 8 Pro or second-generation Microsoft Surface Pro 2. It gives your highly mobile tablet a home base while you're in the office or at home, with additional connectivity to USB devices, wired Ethernet, charging power, and external displays. The easy-to-use dock is a bonus convenience for mobile professionals who sit down at and get up from their desk multiple times a day.

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Design and Features
The Docking Station for Surface Pro looks a little different from most of the laptop docks out there. It sits almost vertical, in order to support the tablet at a viewable angle. Most docks are squat, featureless boxes, like the Dell Wireless Dock D5000, or sit horizontal like the Targus USB 3.0 SuperSpeed Dual Video Docking Station with Power. Most laptop- and tablet-specific docks, like the one for the Dell Venue 11 Pro, make you line up a docking port to the center or edge of a system, which can take interminable seconds and a bit of dexterity. In contrast, you simply need to place the Surface Pro tablet into its matching groove on the bottom lip of the dock, then slide the docking connectors in from the sides. Everything is lined up correctly in a few seconds. The connectors close and open easily with an audible click to let you know that everything is hooked up. The side-sliding action feels like making a Surface Pro sandwich.

There are three connectors on the side panels that line up with the external ports on the Surface Pro tablets: USB 3.0, power port, and the mini-DisplayPort. Because of the way the ports line up, the dock isn't compatible with the Microsoft Surface RT and Surface 2 Windows RT-powered tablets. When connected to a Surface Pro, the dock gives you audio jacks (mic and headphones), three USB 2.0 ports, one USB 3.0 port, Ethernet, and mini-DisplayPort. USB 2.0 and 3.0 will let you hook up peripherals, like external keyboards, mice, printers, and hard drives, while the Ethernet port will give you connectivity with wired networks. The mini-DisplayPort supports multiple monitors via an optional adapter. When we connected a monitor via the mini-DisplayPort, we could mirror the same screen on both displays, extend the desktop from the Surface Pro to the monitor, or use the external monitor exclusively. All of this, and the Surface Pro recharges in the dock as well.

The Docking Station for Surface Pro lets you hook up the tablet whether it has a keyboard cover connected or not. While connected, the keyboard cover works just fine and is comfortable to use. The dock will support an external keyboard and mouse through USB, or via Bluetooth.

It measures 7 by 12.25 by 4 inches (HWD) without the keyboard cover, with a depth of 11 inches with the keyboard cover installed and deployed. That's very little desk space used in return for a good amount of convenience. It keeps the tablet at a fixed angle meant for a seated user; if you tend to stand repeatedly while you work, it makes sense to have an external display attached to the tablet as well.

Should You Buy One?
For most users, the Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2 work best as standalone tablets. Their built-in two-stage kickstand is a little more flexible than the single angle provided by the Docking Station for Surface Pro. That said, if your business still uses wired Ethernet or if you need to take your Surface Pro out and about every day, the Docking Station makes a lot of sense. It's not wireless like the Dell D5000, but it's certainly easier to use and more convenient than traditional docks like the one made for the Dell Venue 11 Pro or the Dell Latitude E-Family docking stations. It's a good desk-side companion for your mobile Surface Pro 2 tablet.

Joel Santo Domingo is the Lead Analyst for the Desktops team at PC Magazine Labs. He joined PC Magazine in 2000, after 7 years of IT work for companies large and small. His background includes managing mobile, desktop and network infrastructure on both the Macintosh and Windows platforms. Joel is proof that you can escape the retail grind: he wore a yellow polo shirt early in his tech career. Along the way Joel earned a BA in English Literature and an MBA in Information Technology...
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